“{Do} not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7; all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version).

In a recent sermon, my pastor mentioned a shocking statistic: The average person worries for two hours and eighteen minutes per day. In decimal format, that is 2.3 hours, almost one-tenth of the day. In other words, many people tithe their time to the gods of fear, anxiety, and worry. It is a form of worship of a false god.

The message of Scripture is consistent: If it is worth worrying about, it is worth praying for. Prayer calls an all-powerful, loving God into our circumstances.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

During my first year in seminary, the fall of 1987, I hit a very rough time financially. The money I had saved up before moving to Missouri was running out. It took me several months to find a job delivering pizza. Then, on my second night on the job, in early December, I had a car accident, destroying my car. I was now out of money and unable to continue working. I was also out of food!

My prayers took a very different tone than usual. “Why, God, why? Where are you? What is going on? How am I going to get food?” I had no answers, but I had a lot of worries, but at least I brought them to God.

With this weighing on me, I went to school and, between classes, one of my friends pulled me aside. “Do you have a minute? I need to speak to you.” He led me over to the men’s room, where he glanced to make sure nobody else was around, reached into his pocket, and said, “Here; God told me to give this to you,” while shoving a few bills in my hand.

It was not much, but coupled with a few coupons and great deals at a grocery store near my house, I could buy enough food for the week. During that week, another classmate told me about a place that was hiring for temporary help. They hired me immediately. I was out of the crisis. I have no doubt that this was all God answering my prayers. God had solutions to my problems when it looked like my life was falling apart.

Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything.” This echoes Jesus’ teaching, when He said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on” (Matthew 6:25). He spoke of the things people need: food, drink, clothing, and so on. However, He also assured us: God meets these needs. If He feeds birds, He can feed the people He loves. Do not be anxious: seek God’s kingdom and righteousness, and He will care for you.

The Bible does not deny the reality of our problems. We need food and clothes. We usually need money to obtain the things we need. Sickness is real; so is pain and suffering. However, the Bible offers us two options when we face bad times. We can hold onto our problems and worry about them, or we can cast our anxieties in the Lord’s lap through prayer and ask Him to take care of us. Which will you choose?

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us that the first blessing we obtain when we pray is “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” Fear is overcome by faith that God will somehow cause all things to work for God in our lives (Romans 8:28). Faith is not denial. It does not mean, “This problem is not real.” Nor is it a form of “positive thinking” that claims our thoughts are changing circumstances. The bank account may still be empty, and the disease may still be present. However, faith knows that God is in control, often working behind the scenes. Bible commentator Warren Wiersbe wrote, “If we pray as we ought to pray and think as we ought to think, the peace of God will guard us, and the God of peace will go with us” [Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-by-Chapter Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991), p. 781].

No matter what you are going through, make sure you find time to pray. When fear or worry creeps in and tries to interrupt your prayers, express those problems to God as prayer requests. If the fears come up again throughout the day, take a moment to ask God to deal with these circumstances. This will allow you to trust God, experience His peace, and wait for the blessing.

Lord, it is easy to worry. Help me take my worries to you in prayer. Reassure me of Your peace, power, and love. Take my burdens, meet my needs, and remove my fears. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How do you handle fear and worry. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments field below.

Copyright © 2025 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.